Robert Dujarric, director of Temple University Japan's Institute of Contemporary Asian Study 'It shows that Beijing wants to continue the confrontation. A new Prime Minister always opens up the possibility of hitting the restart button but clearly Beijing is not interested in improving relation"

Sound like Robert Dujarric is sleeping at his desk when Abe made the all important first broadcast interview after election, he said there was no room for compromise in the row and put the onus for improved relation on Beijing.

With these words I suppose Beijing took it as confrontation as usual and there won't be any resolution in the near future.

Like cockroaches, they will keep coming back. I just hope Japan does not let down its guard, because the once the Communist Chinese government establishes a presence there they will stay. China is determined to expand its empire.

When two dogs meet for the first time, they usually bark at each other and have a "fight" in order to show which dog is the stronger one and should have the dominating position. Perhaps this particular situation is just a very animal way of showing who is the stronger one.

Abe's visit to the US is going to be very important. While US wants Japan to handle the matter cautiously they also understand the risk of pushing the wrong button whether it concerns encouragement of China's expansionism or allowing Japan to inevitably shift further towards the right. Don't think Abe is prepared to let go of the mutually beneficial economic ties with China so easily therefore hopefully there is a practical agreement point that everyone can concede to. Hopefully Abe is not seriously thinking about building things on the island under the current circumstances which is certain to put an end to any hopes of restabilizing relations during his term, something which Ishihara says Abe already verbally promised to initiate.

Well, not very diplomatic of the Chinese. Generally politicians take a tough stance to win votes, but usually a "honeymoon" period after the election is granted to see what would happen.

In the end, this might cost China badly by giving Abe more reason to go with his plan to actually put people on the island. Once he bites the bullet and does so, China's options become sorely limited. They can retaliate for awhile, but ultimately once the guys go on the island, retreating them becomes politically impossible, so economic retaliation will be mere spite. And sovereignty patrols are only significant factors in the struggle for effective control until someone puts a permanent presence on the island, so they themselves become worthless.

So the Chinese sent ships into waters Japan claims, so what every year Japan sends ships into waters Australia claims and doesn't think twice about it. But when china does it it's a national crisis. Why is Japan complaint about this they merely claim these waters as their own until true sovereignty is established it belongs to no one.

Peoples Republic of China is working up the nerve to sending military forces to secure these islands. The first indication could be the sinking of Japanese coast guard ships by Kilo class Chinese submarines. Then again it might not and perhaps they will send in troops by aeroplane to occupy the islands. Flying low above the water to evade radar detection.

This is the new status quo , Chinese ships will come and go as they please.

One can only wonder how much shit will hit the fan when Abe ups the ante by putting people on the island as he has promised. The last thing Uncle Sam wants right now is to be sucked into this mess. I am sure Obama will have a nice talk with abe when he makes his pilgrimage to Washington

So? They have been doing that ever since the beginning. They just want to taunt and taunt until Japan makes a mistake. Which is not going to happen.

Until Japan makes a mistake? Wrong tense. It happened already. China hadn't started until recently is due to the mutual acquiescence of leaving it aside reached 40 years ago. There is no longer need to keep away from it, but no reason for hurry too much either.

People like you apparently have no idea how NOT hurried they are. If you imagine they look for head-on collision with Japan, that will continue to stay as your own fantasy. Have you ever given any thoughts to what if they could maintain their target of 7.5% annual growth rate? In other words, they are trying their best to double their GDP within a decade. What good will do if they force America's hand? US may worry about miscalculations but I doubt they have ever worried about such rashness from the Chinese.

Unless you missed it, the Chinese government is making demands (to Japan and other countries), not the other way around.

Unless you missed it, Noda made the move. However correct he thought he was, it was strange he did it as if the Chinese hadn't warned him repeatedly about the certainty of adverse reaction. Not that he had to listen to the Chinese, but with his stated intent to manage the situation for China's sake, god knows why he'd thought they wouldn't do anything. Now comes the new status quo, Abe has called off the government involvement which would have taken place on Feb. 22 to mend relationship with South Korea, but has offered nothing but strong words to China. He must have factored that into his 2% inflation plan, then.

There really isn't much room for compromise. The islands are considered Japanese, the Chinese want them. Where do you find the middle ground in that?

I doubt that Noda expected the Chinese to just roll over because he made a statement. To the contrary, I expect the Chinese did exactly what he expected. Now the "why" of his statement I don't understand, but he must have had some political reason to say what he did. Sounds like it's going to be more of the same for quite some time.

China is calling for Japan to renounce its purchase of the Senkaku Islands. That's all China is asking, that the Japanese government not own the Senkakus. Apparently, China was not concerned with a Japanese family owning the islands as long as it was a private ownership that said nothing of sovereignty. For that reason, I propose that Japan, the government, sell me, a private citizen of the world, the Senkaku Islands for one US dollar and one Taiwan dollar and one yen and one yuan.

With this American dollar, which is backed by the entire might of the American financial system; with this Taiwan dollar, which is backed by the entire might of the Taiwanese financial system; with this yen, which is backed by the entire might of the Japanese financial system; with this yuan, which is backed by the entire might of the Chinese financial system--I buy the Senkaku Islands as my own. May you respect my rights to personal property!

I will then hold the islands as a public trust until wiser heads prevail. Seriously, Japan, this is how you get out of that predicament. You still get to patrol the waters of the Senkakus, as the 1971 treaty gave you authority to do. China will patrol for some months afterwards but get tired of the exercise, since they'll have nothing to gain as regards sovereignty. You know my price. Pay it. Free yourself from economic warfare with your greatest client.

"And unless you missed it, Noda made the move to buy them in order to prevent Ishihara to do so. That was conciliatory gesture to China... and see what kind of gratefulness he got in return. "

"Gesture" -- this was indeed the key to the whole crisis.. Only a few J-citizens bought it, the majority of others have educated brains to think... Noda substituted Ishihara's role & stole his idea as this 'purchase' would, at least what his think tank believed, help him to regain support against LDP. Neighbors felt seriously threatened by the move ( in the name of election ) by changing the status quo....resulting in new status quo, new govt & new conflicts at higher level. Mr. Noda can now resign from DPJ leadership & enjoy his pre-retirement tranquil life..